No Rampal replay: 25,000 devotees come for bhandara, leave peacefully

NURMAHAL (Jalandhar): Three days before Punjab and Haryana high court deadline to cremate Divya Jyoti Jagriti Sansthaan (DJJS) founder Ashutosh Maharaj, the dera organized a monthly Bhandara (congregation) at its headquarters here on Sunday, but the devotees numbering around 25,000 left the venue peacefully after the event, scotching fears of a 'Rampal replay'.
At the event, the dera leaders promised devotees - who braved rain and cold conditions to reach the venue - that the spiritual guru is alive and will come back to life. He was declared clinically dead by doctors in January and his body is kept in a freezer for the past 10 months. However, the dera has been claiming that their guru is in 'Samadhi'.
On Sunday, DJJS leaders also urged the crowd to make missed calls to a particular number to strengthen their "Preserve the Samadhi" campaign. The DJJS claimed that over 70,000 people gathered at the headquarters on Sunday, but police and state intelligence department estimated that around 25,000 devotees attended the event. Even though the DJJS had claimed that devotees, mainly from Doaba region, come for the monthly bhandara, people from across the state and outside had come to the venue in special buses this time. The devotees were told to leave the premises after having their lunch and, by the evening, all had left except 200 volunteers.
In Haryana, controversial preacher Rampal had called a congregation at his Satlok Ashram after the high court issued non-bailable warrants against him in November. He was arrested later after an armed clash with his commandos and devotees, leaving six persons dead. However, a 'Rampal replay' was nipped.
On Sunday, minister of state Vijay Sampla, who is known for his proximity to the dera, visited the congregation, but no other prominent leader from any political party was present at the programme. Earlier, leaders used to make a beeline to attend DJJS programmes.
However, the dera did not allow media to enter the Satsang venue. Apart from the routine discourses on spiritual matters, the speeches by senior DJJS functionaries referred to the issue. Several banners urged people to make calls to a toll-free number and repeated appeals were made from the main stage to make maximum missed calls so that the Samadhi could be preserved. A speaker told the people that they had time till 12 noon on Wednesday, the deadline set by the HC to cremate the body.
A special bhajan, 'Mera Ashu Baba Aayega' (Baba Ashutosh Shall Come Back), was also played out at the venue. "Nothing will happen to Baba Ashutosh. He will show us the way," said a follower from Amritsar.
Devotees bought lockets and pictures of the guru in different attires from stalls. Ayurvedic products manufactured by the DJJS, its books, pamphlets were also sold.
The followers also raised slogans of "Jai Shri Ram" and "Ashutosh Maharaj Ki Jai" when they spotted TV cameras.
'False propaganda against us'
Talking about locking of its Tarn Taran branch, a speaker said that they respected all granths and had they been anti-Sikh, how could lakhs of Sikhs be its followers. "False propaganda is being spread against us. We do not preach against Sikh principles," he added